The effectiveness of 5 Hour Energy™

I've heard this... elixir... is God's gift to college students. Of course everyone needs to be energized... But to what extent... 5 Hour Energy is probably one of the most popular energy shots out there; known primarily for it’s no crash afterwards claim and it’s overall effectiveness. The energy shots are somewhat clutch for many college students and athletes in need of a boost of stamina or vitality. Is it truly effective though? Is it truly worth it?

Caffeine in the energy shot

Caffeine (a stimulant) is what is typically found in energy drinks. 5 Hour Energy has about “as much caffeine as a cup of the leading premium coffee” as they advertise on their website. That can be around 200mg – just below the amount where fatigue becomes an issue after a while. Because of that fact, people that take it may experience more awareness and less fatigue.

Side Effects

Consuming too much will result in side effects. So use it in moderation. A lot of caffeine can cause things from rapid heartbeat to lightheadedness and diarrhea. 5 Hour Energy, if taken daily and often could, in rare cases, cause nerve damage. But, really… who in their right mind needs to have that much help getting energy so often. Remember, those little shots are comparable to a cup of high grade coffee. Symptoms like numbness of the extremities are signs of toxic levels. But again, only in extreme and rare cases will one overdose. Be smart and exercise caution. You should know your body better than anyone and know what and how much of what you can consume.

Hey, try it out

Personally, I am not really dependent on the energy drink. I may buy one in case I need to work into the wee hours of the night. I would recommend taking it easy, especially if you are like me and not a coffee or energy drinker. The first time I tried it, I may have had much less than half of the shot and felt it go to work instantly. I remember, maybe 5 seconds after taking the sip, jumping up and doing a pull up above my door, then coming down and noticing what I did out of nowhere. It was kind of comparable to everything going from black and white to vibrant color. That entire day I was alert – keep in mind I didn’t even drink half of the shot. At the end of the day, around 1:30 am, I finally felt like going to bed. I wondered what the effects of me drinking the whole thing then would have done.

Overall, it does work. Pretty much as long as the user doesn’t have a couple of Red Bulls a day and can tolerate high amounts of caffeine to the point where an energy shot won’t even phase them. It seems to work instantly and keep a person alert for quite a while. Give it a shot... I do think it is worth it; but in times of need. That’s all I’ve used it for.

. "5-hour ENERGY Shots." . Living Essentials, n.d. Web. 1 Feb 2012. <http://www.5hourenergy.com>.